Game apparatus



.0c1.31,1944. v HFONT'A'lNEJR 2,361,471

GAME vAPPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GAME APPARATUSFiled Aug. 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mr W" Tlv Patented Oct. 31, 1944UNITED STATES 'wlwz --TY f 2,361,471' l n H voar/nr nrrana'rns.; lVirgil H. Fontaine, Jr., Lnljibcclnex. i applicati@ August 16,1943,seriellen. 498,798 i'claim. (ctms-12s), i

This .invention relates to a game apparatus and has for the primaryobject, the provision of a i device of this character on which -a veryinteresting game may be played, the game being to shoot a selectednumber of game pieces, each of spherical shape into zones or openings bya cue ball or spherical-shaped game piece propelled by a cue stick inthe hands of a player.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus of thecharacter set forth, which includes a rotatable playing eld having aselected number of openings in which the game pieces are to be playedinto, said eld being rotatable permits any one of the players to bring aselected portion thereof into a position for making a'selected playwithout the player movin-g from a seated position or from a position ofplay.

A further object of this invention is, the provision of a base forrotatably supporting the playing eld and provided with portions in whichgame pieces that have been played through the openings of the playingfield may collect and be easily reached by the players.

With these and other objects in view as wil become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a top plan view illustrating a game apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention. l

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l. i

Figure 3 is a top plan View partly broken away showing the base with theplaying field removed.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a base and6 a cover removable therefrom for the purpose of exposing a playing eld1.

The base 5 is of rectangular shape and includes ranged pintle .I 2rotatably yreceived within a'bearing block I3 secured totheplaying'field l. Thus it will be seen that the playing field is mountedon the base for rotary movement, being supported both byv the-bearingblocks `II and'I3 and by the annular wall 10. The playing fieldprotrudes .a limited distance beyond theannular wall so as to overhangthe space occurring between the annular wall I and the marginal walls 9of the base. The pintle I2 prevents the bearing blocks from moving ofiof each other still permitting the playing field to rotate freely.

The playing eld 'I includes a disk I4 equipped with a suitable coveringI5 to form the playing surface. The disk I4 has the bearing block I3secured centrally thereof and is of octagon shape and provided with arail I6 matching the shape of the periphery of the disk I 4. The rail I6is rabbeted to receive the periphery of the disk I4, the latter beingsecured into the rabbeted portion in any suitable manner. Bumper stripsI1 are secured to the inner faces of the rail I6. At the corners of therail and formed in the disk I4 are openings I8 through which game piecesof spherical shape may freely pass. The openings are designated bycharacters as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Arranged within the spaces between the annular wall Ill and theperipheral walls 9 are supporting blocks I8 the top faces of which areinclined in opposite directions for the purpose of supportinginclination panels I9 shaped to fit the curvature of the annular wall I9and the y marginal walls 9 with the corners therof located lowermost sothat any game pieces passing through the openings disposed thereoverwill collect within the corners of ther spaces easily accessible to theplayers for replacement on the playing field. The supporting blocks I8are located midway between the corners of the base within the spacesoccurring between the walls 9 and Iil of -said base so that the ends ofthe panels I9 will be efficiently supported with the corners of Saidpanels located lowermost. It is preferable that the slope of the panelswill be less than a90 angle to permit said panels to fit snugly againstthe marginal walls 9. This arrangement will assure gravitation of thegame pieces to the corners of the base as soon as they pass throughopenings in the playing field.

As heretofore explained, the game pieces are of spherical shape andconsist of groups of field pieces wherein the groups of eld pieces aredistinguishable by being of different colors. Fur-` ther a cue gamepiece is employed and a cue stick or sticks of conventionalconstruction. It is preferable that the players take positions at thesides Vof the base and may occupy seated positions and with the playingeld rotatably supported it may be readily turned by any one of theplayers to bring a selected portion of the field opposite to saidplayer. The field pieces in the initial start of the game are groupedcentrally of the playing eld and the player first to shoot strikes thegrouped eldlpieces by th'e cue ball propelled by a cue stick, scatteringthe field pieces over the playing surface, The next player thenendeavors to knock one of the eld pieces of hisl suit into an opening bystriking the field piece by the cue ball l'propelled by the cue stick.This is continued by all of the players taking turns and should any oneof the playing field pieces be knocked into an opening belonging toanother player, the player making the play is penalized by having toaward that eld piece to the score of the opponent.

While the game has been briey outlined in the foregoing other games maybeplayed on this apparatus.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will beunderstood departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a game apparatus, a rectangular shaped supy playing field secured toone of the bearing blocks and rotatably supported thereby and by theannular wall and including a plurality of game piece openings arrangedin corners thereof and outwardly of the annular Wall, supporting blocksarranged between the upstanding Walls and the annular Wall and eachhaving upper inclined supporting faces, and panels shaped to match theannular Wall and the marginal walls and secured on the inclined faces ofthe supporting blocks ar; ranging corners thereof lowermost and withinthe corners of the base for the collection of game pieces gravitatingover the panels from the openings of the playing field.

VIRGIL H. FONTAINE, J a.

